Dimbola Museum & Galleries

Home and workplace of the internationally acclaimed Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron.

A pioneer of photography as a fine art, Julia Margaret Cameron (1815-1879) was a woman ahead of her time, renowned for her portraits of ‘famous men and fair women’, many of which were created at Dimbola. The house became of focal point for a crowd of bohemian artists, writers and poets, such as Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson, G.F. Watts and Lewis Carroll.

Discounts

Museums Association

National Art Pass

Original and/or unique photographic images, papers, cameras, books etc. relating to, associated with and illustrating the life and works of Julia Margaret Cameron, or to the life and works of the ‘Freshwater Circle’, or to the history of Dimbola Lodge.

Key artists and exhibits

Exhibition details are listed below, you may need to scroll down to see them all.

Exhibition (permanent)

Isle of Wight Festival Exhibition

4 August 2011 — 4 December 2021 *on now

The first Pop Festival in 1968, which was held at Ford Farm near Godshill, featured such bands as Tyrannosaurus Rex and Fairport Convention and was organised to raise funds for a swimming pool locally in Freshwater.

This festival marked a turning point in UK music history. Two further festivals culminated in the huge 1970 event within sight and sound of Dimbola. This saw Jimi Hendrix’s last major performance and his last in the UK. Following a 32 year gap, the IOW festival was relaunched in 2002 and from then on to the present day the IOW festivals (now promoted by Solo Ltd) have been a huge success.

The display includes rare posters and photographs of these legendary festivals. One photograph in particular is a panorama from Afton Down which gives an idea of the audience of 600,000 who gathered to watch Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, Taste, Miles Davis and Joni Mitchell to name a few.

Outside Dimbola there is a small memorial garden with a statue of Jimi Hendrix designed by sculptor John Swindells.

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Telephone

01983 756814

All information is drawn from or provided by the venues themselves and every effort is made to ensure it is correct. Please remember to double check opening hours with the venue concerned before making a special visit.